Attack at Iraq police celebration kills 29
The US ambassador and Iraq’s interior and defence ministers were in attendance but far from the attacks.
An Internet statement by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the name of his al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group rebuked Sunni Arabs for taking part in last month’s parliamentary elections, saying they had “thrown a rope” to save US policy.
Meanwhile, the US military said eight American troops and four American civilians died aboard a US Army Black Hawk helicopter that crashed late Saturday in northern Iraq. The military initially said only that there were eight passengers and four crew aboard.
The military statement came after a particularly deadly four-day period for Americans, with 28 killed since Thursday, including 24 troops.
With the latest military deaths, at least 2,207 US service members have died since the war started in 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
The military said the cause of the crash wasn’t known and an investigation would take some time. The helicopter went down about seven miles east of Tal Afar, a northern city near the Syrian border that has seen heavy fighting with insurgents.
The Black Hawk was part of a two-helicopter team providing support for the 101st Airborne Division and was flying between bases when communications were lost, the military said.
It was the deadliest helicopter crash in Iraq since a CH-53 Sea Stallion went down in bad weather in western Iraq on January 26, 2005, killing 31 American troops.
Police Major Falah al-Mohammadawi said two suicide bombers carried out the attacks inside the Interior Ministry compound, where National Police Day celebrations were held. The first bomber was shot by the police, although his explosives detonated. A second bomber also detonated his explosives, al-Mohammadawi said. The police major said initial reports incorrectly indicated the explosions were caused by mortar shells and one suicide car bomb.
One bomber was wearing the uniform of a police major and the other was dressed as a lieutenant colonel. The two had passes that enabled them to get through checkpoints and into the compound, the official said.
At least 29 people were killed and 18 injured, mostly policemen, said Ala’a AbidAli, an official at al-Kindi hospital. Several police cars were destroyed, and body parts were scattered on the ground.
The bombs exploded several hundred yards from the celebration.
